Key holder



May 6, 1941.

R. M. SCHUPBACH KEY HOLDER- Filed Feb. 24, 1941 I INVENTOR. fle/fe/MJZ)?vpaa A TTORNEYS.

Patented May 6, 1941 one stares ears EFECE KEY HOLDER of MassachusettsApplication February 24, 1941, Serial No. 380,105

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a key holder of the type usually attached to achain for providing a key package to be worn on the person.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an easily operablekey holder which may be opened or closed for mounting of the keys sothat the same will be simple and inexpensive to manufacture, yetpositive in its operation so that when closed, the same will notaccidentally open.

Another object of the invention is to arrange the construction such thatit may be made of a minimum number of parts arranged in an advantageousrelation.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, as will be more fully described, andparticularly pointed out in the appended. claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. l is an elevation illustrating the key holder in closed positionwith a fragmental portion of the key shown as mounted thereon and afragmental portion of the chain attached to the holder;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the closure member, illustrating thelocking arrangement of the parts;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the closure member inopen position;

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Figs. 2 and 3, but illustrating a differentrelative position of the closure member to the loop-shaped body;

Fig. 5 is a section on line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing the cross sectional shape of theloop-shaped body.

This invention utilizes the resiliency of a loopshaped body by theforcing apart of the spaced ends of the body which, being under sometension from the forcing apart of the ends, tend to spring together, theurge of the springing together being utilized to lock the closure memberin position, the ends being cammed to or from closed position by asuitable shaping of the surfaces which slide one upon the other.

With reference to the drawing, I designates the resilient body which ishere shown as curved in shape generally in the form of a loop with itsends I l and I2 spaced. These ends may be sprung apart, and when somoved apart, will tend to return to their normal spaced relation. Thehinged closure member [4 consists of side walls l and a bottom wall l6.These side walls receive between them one end portion II of the body It,and this member is mounted in pivotal relation by means of the pin I1extending through the walls and the end portion II and eing headed as atl8 over the side walls. The walls are also provided with an opening l9which receive a ring 20 linking it to a chain 2| for attaching theholder to the belt or trousers or any other suitable part of theclothing.

The end [2 of the loop-shaped member is rounded as at 22, the shapebeing somewhat tapered, as perhaps best shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4,while a cam-shaped block 23 is secured to the bottom wall 16 of theclosure member I4. This block is located between the walls l5 and may besoldered or riveted or otherwise suitably secured in such position asshown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, where it may be rigidly supported with theclosure member M. The position of this cam 23 is such that its edgesurface 24 will engage the rounded end 22 of the loop it! as the memberI4 is swung on its pivot I? so as to move in substantially the are shownin Fig. 4 by the dotdash line 25, and in so moving it will force the endI2 away from the end ll until the cut-away portion 26 is reached, whenthis end I2 will then snap into the cut-away portion beneath theabutment 21 where the end 22 fitting into this recess and back of thisabutment will hold this closure member in closed position. To open thismember l4, sufficient force is exerted to move the member l4 inwardly sothat its abutting surface 21 will move past the curved end 22 of the endportion l2 of the loop body when a key may be mounted on or removed fromthe body.

I claim:

1. A key holder comprising a loop-shaped resilient body with its endsspaced, a channel member having side walls hinged to one of said endsand of a length to receive the other end between its side walls whenswung on its hinge toward said other end, a catch between the walls ofsaid member provided with a recess to receive the end of said body, thelocation and shaping of said catch and end of the body being such as tohold the parts together in interfitting engagement, said holding in suchposition being assisted by spreading the ends of said body when themember is swung on its hinge to closed position.

2. A key holder comprising a loop-shaped resilient body with its endsspaced, a channel member having side walls hinged to one of said endsand of a length to receive the other end between its side walls whenswung on its hinge outwardly toward said other end, a catch between thewalls of said member having a recess to receive the said other end ofthe body, and a cam surface leading to said recess to spring the spacedends of said body apart as swung just prior to the positioning of saidend in said recess.

.3. A key holder comprising a loop-shaped re-' silient body with itsends spaced, a channel memher having side walls hinged to one of saidends and of a length to receive the other end between its side wallswhen swung on its hinge outwardly toward said other end, a catch betweenthe walls of said member having a recess to receive the said other endof the body, a cam surface leading to said recess being located adistance from said hinge connection to spring the spaced ends of saidbody apart upon swinging just prior to the positioning of said end insaid recess, and a chain connection to said member tending to move thesame outwardly.

4. A key holder comprising a loop-shaped resilient body with its endsspaced, a channel member having side walls receiving between them andhinged to one of said ends and of a length to receive the other endbetween its side walls and along its bottom wall when swung on its hingeoutwardly toward said other end, a block between the walls of saidmember having a recess to receive the said other end of the body, and acam surface leading to said recess to spring the spaced ends of saidbody apart upon swinging just prior to the positioning of said end insaid recess.

RENE M. SCHUPBACH.

